


A Few Seconds Off

by turtlelino



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-29 21:56:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18302660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turtlelino/pseuds/turtlelino
Summary: “If a clock could count down to the moment you meet your soulmate, would you want to know?”





	A Few Seconds Off

**Author's Note:**

> yes this is based off that one tumblr post

Chaewon had met her online. Back when Omegle was still a thing and not just for creepy perverts. They immediately bonded over their “shared interest”, singing. They both loved singing and dancing. They even thought of becoming an idol, but for one reason or another, they both chose not to, instead prioritizing other things. They exchanged phone numbers and continued talking there. Most times, they would just go with texting, but sometimes, on the truly important moments, they would talk over calls, taking comfort and motivation in one another’s voice. They soon thought of each other as best friends and shared anything and everything with each other. Chaewon didn’t want to think how differently her life could’ve been had she not used the website that day.

Nine years later, Chaewon slammed her hand on her alarm clock. She had been dreaming of a time long past, full of happy memories and nostalgia. Now she was pissed and depressed and wanted to never wake up. All because of the same reason: the stupid clock on her wrist.

Every person who could have romantic feelings had one. It counted down to the moment when you would meet your soulmate, the one you would treasure and who would treasure you for the rest of your lives.

But she was pissed at hers because it didn’t match with the one she wanted to match with. She looked down at it—eleven hours, forty-six minutes, and twelve seconds—and wished it would change. But she knew after so many shooting stars and 11:11’s that it would never change.

Chaewon sighed and picked up her phone. Swiping through the notifications, she saw a text from her—from Hyejoo—sent several minutes ago.  

“Today’s the day!”

Chaewon groaned, falling back on the bed. She stared at the ceiling and silently rued her fate. Why couldn’t her clock match Hyejoo’s?

She sent back a quick “I know!”, before getting ready for school. At least she has that to keep her mind off the whole soulmate thing.

  
  


She spent the whole day mindlessly staring at the board. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t concentrate. Her mind kept going back to the clock. Seven hours, thirty minutes, and fifty-seven seconds. Chaewon wondered what her soulmate would be like, how old they were, what gender, where they lived. She wondered if they liked singing as much as she did, what kind of music they listened to, if they would get her sense of humor, if they would laugh when she laughed, if they would have a soothing voice, one that could talk to her until she slept, one— 

Chaewon shook her head, realizing where her thoughts were headed. Sometimes, she thought she would be better off without her soulmate since she had already fallen for someone else. 

When all her classes had ended—three hours, seventeen minutes, and two seconds—she immediately went home. She didn’t bother hanging out with her friends or going out to eat, she just wanted the day to end as soon as possible.

She ran towards her room, ignoring her parents and her siblings, and flopped on the bed. Chaewon grabbed her phone and pulled up Hyejoo’s contact information. Her finger hovered over the call button for a long time before she threw her phone across the bed and buried her face in a pillow. She knew it was useless to call her, fate had already cursed her with another soulmate. She’d only be deluding herself with this.

She pulled up her blanket, burying herself in its warmth, and soon she fell asleep.

  
  


Chaewon woke up hours later, only a few minutes left on her clock. It was as if she was pulled awake by fate, telling her her time is near. Fixing her hair and putting on her coat, she went to the nearby park. She wasn’t gonna meet her soulmate cooped up in her house, right?

Once there, she sat on the swing. She remembered first taking to Hyejoo here. She was crying and ran away at that time, something about school that she already forgot. She had been texting Hyejoo when the other suddenly offered to call. She immediately found comfort in the new yet oddly familiar voice.

And now, she found herself sitting back at this spot, this time without Hyejoo’s comfort.

Chaewon stared back at her clock. Five minutes, thirty-six seconds. She started kicking at the ground and sighed. Only a few minutes left to go.

At three minutes left, her phone began to ring. She took it out of her pocket and answered it as soon as she saw the caller id. “Hey.”

“Hey!” the voice said back, echoing through the speakers, “It’s so near now!”

Chaewon laughed nervously, “Yeah, it really is.” She didn’t know what she’d do once she met her soulmate, didn’t know how to let them down gently.

“I wonder what they’d be like. I haven’t really thought of it that much,” Hyejoo rambled on about her potential soulmate. Chaewon didn’t pay attention to what she said and instead listened to the sound of her voice. Her voice was soft and cheerful when she spoke, relaying her every emotion. Chaewon wondered if she sounded like that in real life too.

"So, you excited?" she asked.

"I can hardly stay still," Chaewon replied sarcastically. She could hear Hyejoo giggling on the other side of the phone. She smiled, happy that the other had always been able to get her humor. She looked back down at her watch. One minute, twenty-nine seconds. 

She could hear the honking of cars on the other end. “Where are you?"

"I’m taking a walk," Hyejoo said. Then suddenly, she gasped.

“What?” Chaewon asked, worried. 

“I think I see her,” she whispered, “Oh my God, I see her.”

Chaewon deflated. She knew who Hyejoo was referring to. Her clock counted down only a few seconds before hers. She felt her hopes falter, even though she knew from the beginning they could never be together.

"Oh, good!" she said, feigning happiness.

Chaewon stepped off the swingset and into the streets. She crossed the road when a loud honk made her head snap around. A truck was racing towards her at full speed. Chaewon froze. She closed her eyes, ready for the impact. But it never came.

A hand grabbed her frozen body and pulled her away. She clutched the stranger tightly, shaking on the spot. The clock on her wrist beeped as she looked up into deep, brown eyes.

The stranger spoke into her headphones, the mic still at her lips. “Hello," she said, her familiar voice echoing from the speaker of Chaewon’s phone.


End file.
